Sipping over Darjeeling: Top 10 things to do

Image SourceThe dazzling snow peaks of Kanchenjunga that overlook the hill town, the beautiful tea gardens on rolling hill slopes, the waterfalls, orchids, pines & rhododendrons, the cozy Himalayan toy train gliding its way through the mountains… Now if that isn’t tempting, what is? Add to that some great sightseeing tours, food, shopping. Known for its youthful vibe with modern as well as colonial charm, trust Darjeeling to keep you entertained, joyful and at peace, all at once. Although there are a hundred things you can do in Darjeeling, we thought we’ll save you the time by telling you about the TOP 10. Let’s begin.

1. Tiger Hill

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Wake up early and jeep out to Tiger Hill to watch the dawn break over a spectacular 250km stretch of Himalayan horizon. You’d be blown away and that’s our promise.

2. Breakfast at Keventer’s

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In Darjeeling, Keventer’s is your doorway to a scrumptious meat fest. Easy to spot on Nehru Road, they specialize in delicious ham, bacon and sausages.

3. A joy ride on a toy train!

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Don’t miss a trip on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, popularly know as a toy train. Book a joy ride ticket – a tourist ticket that takes you to Ghum and back .

4. Ghum

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Once in Ghum, you can do two things – Take the road that is adjacent to Ghoom Railway Station and walk for hardly 10 minutes to reach the famous Yiga Choeling Monastery that’s known to have some very rare Budhhist texts. The other thing is a visit to The Ghoom Railway Museum, a UNESCO heritage site that houses the origins of the toy train on which you had just been.

5. Glennary’s

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Give yourself a well deserved lunch with a great view of the Khangchendzonga following which, you might want to check out the nearby Lloyd’s Botanical Gardens before heading back.

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Take a free tour of the factory at the Happy Valley Tea Estate. From March to November, you’ll see tea pickers at work, which in itself is quite an quite amazing experience.

8. Darjeeling Ropeway

Image SourceA ride on the Rangeet Valley passenger cable car offers you a breathtaking view of the valley below, the spread of lush green tea gardens on the hill slopes, flowing rivers, forests, waterfalls and to top it all a magnificent view of the Eastern Himalayan range including the snow capped peaks of the Kanchenjunga you cannot miss.

9. The Observatory Hill

Image SourceLocally known as The Mall, this place if full of locals and tourists. There are several family owned shops here since British days selling Tea, Souvenir, paintings or handicrafts.

10. Nathmulls – A little some thing to take back

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It’s no good leaving if you aren’t carrying back some of the world’s finest tea from Nathmulls Tea Room. Ask for a tasting and expertly brewed tea would be served to you at this eighty-three -year-old establishment . You can also pick up some attractive teapots, strainers and coasters from here.

So if you’re planning to visit the queen of hills anytime soon, you know what all you absolutely must NOT miss!